You have no doubt heard or read the studies through the years that indicate motorists do more than just drive during their daily travels.

Think about it. You get in your vehicle on the way to work, fight the traffic to the interstate or your regular route, and there's no telling what you'll see fellow drivers doing while they're zooming up and down the highways.

Sorting proper paperwork for the office, touching up the makeup (while using the vanity mirror in front of you that blocks your driving vision), eating breakfast, drinking coffee, tuning in your favorite radio show, and of course, tying up loose ends with whoever on the cellular phone.

Last week, a legislative panel added a new possible distraction to motorists when the Administrative Rules and Regulations Committee of the Arkansas Legislative Council approved a proposed regulation by the state Highway and Transportation Department to allow advertisers to apply for permits to place "electronic message devices," or billboards that display images on electronic screens, alongside state highways. The regulation also restricts how the signs can operate and where they can be located.

The Arkansas Association of Outdoor Advertising asked for the change, which drew only positive reactions during the period allowed for public comments, said Scott Bennett, assistant chief engineer for the Highway Department.

The regulation goes into effect June 8.

Bennett told the committee the signs are similar to electronic signs that currently can be seen in front of some businesses in Arkansas. The regulation will not affect the signs businesses erect on their property, he said.

The regulation requires messages displayed on the billboards to remain static for at least eight seconds at a time to avoid distracting drivers, Bennett said. The transition from one message to another can take no more than two seconds.

"If there's a claim that it distracted someone and they had an accident, and someone lost their life or seriously was injured, then the Highway Department in no way, shape, form or fashion could be held liable, is that what you're telling me?" asked Sen. Bobby Glover, D-Carlisle.

"We have a clause in the regulation that says if we deem something distracting, then we can have it changed," Bennett said.

Other states that have chosen to allow electronic billboards have not seen increases in accidents, he said.

We'd like to add they haven't seen increases in accidents yet. Sure, there's more to pay attention to in the car during the daily drive than a fancy electronic billboard -driving carefully and watching to make sure those around you are doing the same - but what's to stop a motorist or two to gawk at some billboard that's strolling a message across their sign, and they don't want to wait until the next time they drive by it to read the whole message?

Fortunately, Bennett said none of these electronic billboards would be allowed to be built in scenic areas where they would detract from the natural beauty. They would be allowed on roads where there is already a billboard, however, a current billboard could be retrofitted to include one of these signs. They must also be 1,500 feet apart on interstate highways, Bennett added.

Tom Gibbens, vice president and general manager of Lamar Outdoor Advertising in Little Rock and a board member of the Arkansas Outdoor Advertising Association, said such signs could cost up to $500,000. It sounds like another case of those who have the bucks may light up the highway, while the have-nots have to stick to their old-fashioned signs they can only change by building another billboard.

We don't need an electronic message to say drivers, use even more caution than before.